Stepping into the shoes of a literary icon is never easy, but stepping into the skates of a viral BookTok sensation is an entirely different level of pressure. Following the highly anticipated May 13, 2026, premiere of Prime Video’s Off Campus, leading man Belmont Cameli admitted that taking on the mantle of Garrett Graham—the internet’s ultimate fictional hockey boyfriend—left him feeling incredibly nervous.
The Belmont Cameli Off Campus Garrett Graham 2026 screen adaptation is based on The Deal, the smash-hit first installment of Elle Kennedy’s bestselling romance book series. The story follows Hannah Wells (Ella Bright), a music major who strikes up a fake-dating arrangement with Briar University’s cocky but golden-retriever-coded hockey captain, Garrett Graham.
Because the Off Campus books are credited with helping ignite the massive “hockey romance” subgenre on TikTok, Cameli was acutely aware of how fiercely protective readers are of the character.
“When you realize you’re playing a character that millions of people already have a vivid, deeply personal image of in their minds, it’s terrifying,” Cameli shared during the show’s press tour. “Garrett is charming, irreverent, and mysterious, but he also carries a lot of emotional depth. Trying to balance that swagger while honoring the vulnerability readers love definitely gave me a massive case of nerves on day one.”
The Saved by the Bell alum explained that the role pushed him in entirely new directions, demanding both intense athletic conditioning and comfort with highly intimate scenes.
“The role was very physically demanding. Learning how to play hockey at that elite collegiate level was a massive hurdle,” Cameli told Cosmopolitan India. “But beyond that, the show is a very faithful, open-door romance. Diving into those highly physical and steamy scenes can make you anxious as an actor, but the cast became like a family very quickly, which made it easier to let those walls down.”
Co-star Ella Bright heavily praised their instant connection, recalling their initial chemistry read for People magazine: “They wanted the tension, and you could really feel it in the room. Belmont just was Garrett.”
With Off Campus already secured for a second season which will pivot to adapt the second book, The Mistake, focusing on teammate John Logan (Antonio Cipriano) Cameli can breathe a sigh of relief. Early fan reception indicates that his portrayal of the protective, deeply loyal captain has successfully translated from the pages of BookTok directly into viewers’ hearts.
